First gaps between the yellow jersey contenders.
Alto da Foia, Portugal’s highest peak, was again visited by the peloton, but this time from a different side than the one in 2020, where Remco Evenepoel won with a spectacular last-kilometer acceleration. This northern side of the first-category ascent was longer and more irregular in gradient than the traditional one, featuring also some gravel road sectors close to the top.
A small peloton comprising some 20-odd men arrived at the foot of this ascent, and as soon as this happened, six riders attacked and got a gap which they carried to the finish, where Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates) took the victory. Both Maximilian Schachman, who made his season debut, and Ilan Van Wilder put in a strong ride Thursday afternoon and managed to limit the losses on their way to finishing in the top 15 on Foia, a result that puts them just three seconds off the first ten in the general classification.
The race continues with the hilly stage three to Tavira. In theory, there could be a bunch sprint at the end of the day, but the many short climbs and rolling roads of the region could also play in the favour of a breakaway group.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
